Healthy No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Breakfast Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Healthy No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Breakfast Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free) which are a guilt-free, quick and easy breakfast- A base oatmeal layer, a protein-packed fudge center, and a healthy chocolate frosting! Packed with wholesome ingredients, they are dessert for breakfast and can be made completely sugar free!

Now? It’s time to take one of my favorite peanut butter and chocolate candy bars and transform it into a clean eating and satisfying breakfast- These healthy no bake peanut butter cup breakfast bars.

These breakfast bars are three delicious layers of perfection. In fact, they incorporate two of my favorite recipes on here in one- These 3 ingredient no bake oatmeal bars and these no bake protein fudge bars. They are chewy at the bottom, super fudgy in the center, and topped with a thick layer of guilt-free and healthy chocolate frosting.

The base layer is a chewy oatmeal base, using just three ingredients- Rolled oats, brown rice syrup and smooth peanut butter. Because these are just part of the base of the recipe, you are welcome to use quick oats or even an oat flour blend. I favored using brown rice syrup, as it’s very sticky and also not overly sweet. You can easily swap it out for pure maple syrup or agave nectar.

The gooey, thick, fudgy center may sound sinful, but it’s actually perfectly healthy and can be protein packed! It uses a similar combination to the base of these breakfast bars, but different textures. Instead of rolled oats, you’ll be using either oat flour or coconut flour. Please note that if you use coconut flour, you’ll need to add at least double the amount of milk of choice listed in the ingredients. The other two ingredients remain the same, but there is one extra step- The protein powder!

You can easily make these peanut butter cup breakfast bars even more protein-rich and protein-packed by adding a scoop of protein powder to it. As always, I opt for using either a brown rice protein powder, a casein protein powder, or a paleo protein powder. Do not use a whey based protein powder, as you’ll find the bars really difficult to firm up, or in some cases, drying it out completely.

The final layer is what completes a classic peanut butter cup- The chocolate coating! There are several options for you here- A protein packed frosting, a chocolate peanut butter frosting or a simple, melted chocolate frosting. The latter two are self-explanatory, but it is the protein-packed option which needs a little attention. You’ll just mix chocolate protein powder with peanut butter, cocoa powder and thin it out slowly with a milk of choice until a super thick frosting remains. If you use casein or brown rice protein powder, you can simply combine the protein powder with milk until a similar frosting remains.

For those who want to keep this recipe completely sugar free, this is possible, but I can only vouch for one kind of maple syrup. Usually, sugar free maple syrups have a similar flavor to normal maple syrup, but cannot be used well IN recipes (think using it as a pancake topper VS using it to bind bars). These sugar free syrups simply don’t have the natural texture to do so. I’ve found this naturally sweetened maple syrup to be my newest bestie- It replicates the texture and is based off monk fruit sweetener. To also keep the chocolate topping sugar free, either use the protein-packed option or use these stevia sweetened baking chips. I’ve tried several, and these don’t leave you with that bitter aftertaste.

Dessert for breakfast is on the menu with the infamous peanut butter cup candy bar transformed into a delicious wholesome and guilt-free breakfast- These Healthy No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Breakfast Bars which are vegan, gluten free and sugar free!

Healthy No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Breakfast Bars

Healthy No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Breakfast Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free) which are a guilt-free, quick and easy breakfast- A base oatmeal layer, a protein-packed fudge center, and a healthy chocolate frosting! Packed with wholesome ingredients, they are dessert for breakfast and can be made completely sugar free!

For the healthy chocolate frosting

Instructions

Line an 8 x 8 or larger baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add your rolled oats/quinoa, peanut butter and sticky sweetener of choice. Mix until fully combined. Transfer to the lined baking dish and refrigerate.

While the base is forming up, prep your fudge center. In a microwave safe bowl or stovetop, combine your peanut butter with sticky sweetener and melt. Add your ground oats/ground quinoa and optional protein powder and mix very well until a thick fudge batter remains. Pour over the breakfast bar base and refrigerate.

While the bars are firming up, prep your healthy frosting of choice. Add frosting to the top of the bars and refrigerate again for 30 minutes, or until the frosting has firmed up. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Notes

* Alternatively, you can melt your favorite chocolate bar over it.

Bars need to be kept refrigerated for the best texture. They can be enjoyed at room temperature, but are super fudgy. They are also freezer friendly.

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Wow, my only dream in life is to eat a giant bowl of peanut butter cups, Teddy Grahams, Kit-Kats, cookie dough bites, Swedish fish, and Twix bars. I have yet to see you create a healthy Twix bar recipe! I would definitely love to get my hands on these peanut butter cup breakfast bars!

G’day, I’m Arman!

Thanks for stopping by The Big Man’s World ®. My name is Arman Liew, and I’m stoked to have you here! Here you’ll find delicious HEALTHY recipes, inspirational travel, and lifestyle, all served with a side of cheeky banter.